Seattle ranks eighth among worst traffic cities

Seattle’s traffic problems are the eighth worst in the country, according to a new study by Kirkland-based traffic data company Inrix.

According to the data, Seattle drivers waste an average of 35 hours in traffic. While that’s below the national average of 42 hours, Seattle still ranks eighth on the list of 100 metropolitan areas studied.

Los Angeles has the worst traffic in the U.S. Drivers there spend 59 hours per year stuck in traffic. Los Angeles is followed by Honolulu and San Francisco.

Traffic congestion is apparently back on the rise across the U.S. The data shows that in the first few months of 2013, traffic congestion has increased 4 percent. This year’s increase follows a 22 percent decrease last year. Inrix suggest that 2012 decrease was a result of financial conditions in the U.S.

“Fears over recurring fiscal deadlines and ongoing debt issues last year likely fueled declines in traffic congestion, with businesses and consumers alike taking a ‘wait and see’ approach,” said Bryan Mistele, INRIX president and chief executive officer. “While bad news for drivers, the gains we’ve seen in the U.S. and a few countries in Europe in 2013 are cause for some optimism about the direction of the economy.”